By Courtney Minor
Published Nov 17, 2023
These easy Leftover Turkey recipes are the best way to use up any turkey leftovers you have after the big Thanksgiving feast. Don’t let it go to waste, throw that delicious turkey into soups, casseroles, sandwiches, and more. Plus you can use up the rest of your Thanksgiving leftovers with these ideas too!
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What to Do with Leftover Turkey After Thanksgiving
The usual holiday dilemma is upon us: Thanksgiving is over, but your refrigerator is still stuffed to the brim with turkey, mashed potatoes, and all kinds of leftovers. This is good news if you’re happy to eat plate after plate of Thanksgiving Round 2, but you might need some ideas and a little variety to help you get through all that food.
That’s where these leftover turkey recipes come in! That perfect Thanksgiving turkey served you well, and now you have slices and slices left. Luckily, you can use it to make all kinds of recipes, from sandwiches and soups, to casseroles and chilis. Use up turkey leftovers with these ideas, and trust me, you won’t get sick of it!
Whether you start with a smoked turkey , deep-fried turkey , a turkey breast , or any other Thanksgiving turkey recipes , you can use leftovers to make these recipes!
Leftover Turkey Wild Rice Soup
Cozy Soups with Leftover Turkey
In the days after a big holiday meal, there’s nothing more comforting (or easier to make) than a big bowl of soup filled with Thanksgiving leftovers, veggies, and cozy ingredients.
- Turkey Wild Rice Soup : This is a great post-holiday meal idea! Wild rice, veggies, and turkey swim in a super creamy broth, with lots of savory flavor.
- Turkey Noodle Soup : This soup is filled with noodles, vegetables, a flavorful broth, and of course plenty of turkey. It’s the perfect comfort dish for late autumn!
- Turkey Chili : Though the recipe calls for ground turkey, you can use your cooked turkey leftovers instead. Simply add it in with the bulk of the ingredients (instead of cooking it at the start) and let everything simmer.
- Crockpot Black Eyed Peas : This hearty recipe is easy to make with leftover turkey–just throw everything in and let it cook!
Turkey Salad Sandwich
Easy Leftover Turkey Sandwiches
These aren’t your average Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches. Use cooked turkey to make something that feels totally new!
- Turkey Salad : Cubes of turkey, dried cranberries, pecans, celery, dill, and creamy mayo make a quick and simple leftover sandwich filling!
- Turkey Sliders : These Hawaiian roll sliders are filled with slices of turkey and swiss cheese, coated in a buttery Dijon sauce, then baked until hot. They’ll taste delicious with those leftover mashed potatoes too.
- Garlic Butter Sandwich Skewers : Slices of turkey, ham, and cheese are piled onto buns (or use leftover dinner rolls), coated in garlic butter, and baked in the oven.
Turkey Rice Casserole
Add Thanksgiving Turkey into These Casseroles
No need to eat the same meal over and over again. These casserole recipes are the best way to use up leftover turkey!
- Turkey Rice Casserole : This creamy casserole recipe is easy to throw together, and it comes out of the oven hot and bubbly. Feel free to add in some of your leftover veggies (like carrots or broccoli) too.
- Turkey Pot Pie : A creamy, cozy filling with mixed veggies is baked into a flakey crust to make this classic dish with a turkey twist.
- Leftover Turkey Casserole : This pasta casserole is filled with veggies, turkey, gravy, and topped with breadcrumbs for a cozy and delicious post-Thanksgiving meal!
Thanksgiving Leftovers Quesadilla
Fun Turkey Leftovers Ideas
Clean out your fridge after Thanksgiving and make these tasty, easy, and fun leftover ideas! Not only will you use up all that turkey, you’ll be able to get rid of some of those other lingering dishes too.
- Thanksgiving Quesadillas : Not only can you use up your leftover turkey with this recipe, you can use the rest of your cranberry sauce and gravy too!
- Turkey Croquettes : Use leftover turkey and stuffing to make these deep-fried balls that are perfect for snacking, appetizers, or just a fun meal idea.
- Turkey Tacos : Instead of ground turkey, use shredded or cubed turkey to make these crispy tacos. Just heat up your leftovers in Step 1 of this recipe, then assemble your tacos and pan-fry.
Tetrazzini Casserole
Make these Recipes with Turkey Leftovers Instead
Cooked turkey can be used (cubed or shredded) in place of chicken in these delicious recipes!
- Tetrazzini : This creamy pasta bake is filled with noodles, mushrooms, and breadcrumbs for a cozy dish. Just add turkey!
- Fried Rice : It’s easy to swap in your leftover turkey with the rice and veggies to make this tasty recipe as a launch or side dish.
- White Bean Chili : This is my favorite chili recipe, and you can definitely use cooked turkey instead of chicken here. The cream cheese makes this chili sooo creamy!
Leftover Idea: Mashed Potato Pancakes
What to do with the rest of your Thanksgiving leftovers
Most likely, turkey isn’t the only thing you’ll have leftover after Thanksgiving. You probably have mashed potatoes , turkey stuffing , cranberry sauce , turkey gravy , honey baked ham , Thanksgiving rolls , veggies, and tons of other food to use up. Don’t worry, some of these leftover turkey recipes (like the quesadillas, croquettes, casseroles, and sliders) call for some of those dishes too.
You can turn leftover mashed potatoes into potato pancakes or fried mashed potatoes balls ; turn slices or cubes of ham into a ham and potato casserole ; or throw extra veggies into the recipes listed above.
Thanksgiving Dinner
If you’re still not sure what to make with your leftover turkey, simply add it in with your favorite soup, pasta, salad, and casserole recipes. It’s already cooked, and it’ll taste delicious in tons of dishes.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
54+ Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes
26 Thanksgiving Pie Recipes
16+ Leftover Ham Recipes
35 Alternative Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas (Besides Turkey)
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
